Minister Adam reiterates importance of standing invitation to international community |18 October 2013

Foreign Affairs Minister Jean-Paul Adam has stressed the importance of the standing invitation that Seychelles has extended to various international organisations and foreign government under the Special Procedures Mechanism.

This is testimony to the commitment of Seychelles welcoming partners to her shores and in obtaining the relevant information for the purpose of their respective country reports on the country.

Minister Adam made this statement during the Question Time session of the National Assembly yesterday, after member of the National Assembly for Cascade, Charles de Commarmond, sought an update on the status of country reports that Seychelles needs to present to different international organisations.

In response, Minister Adam explained that despite multiple technical constraints due in part to relative size, Seychelles respects its reporting obligations under the human rights related treaties it is party to. He added that Seychelles is on track with regards to the publication of the respective country reports.

Some of these treaties include: the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on the Rights of Children and Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

He remarked that the standing invitation Seychelles has extended to international organisations and foreign governments underscores Seychelles’ policy of transparency and demonstrates its eagerness to engage with the international community by making available relevant information.

The minister noted that United Nations Special Rapporteur on Education, Kishore Singh, presently in the country, is the first to undertake a visit to Seychelles under this standing Invitation.

Minister Adam answered four other questions ranging from Seychellois stranded overseas and the Chagos issue to visas and his ministry’s plan to monitor and ensure the implementation of conventions put by MNAs Emmanuel Fideria, Derek Samson, Kevin Vidot and Sheryl Vengadasamy.